Friday, March 31, 2017

Stay Off the Menu

To the Virginian Tiger Moth on our front porch:

I remember last autumn, when you were a Yellow Wooly Bear caterpillar gorging on the plants in our flowerbed. Maybe you knew you'd be on a diet all winter. When your appetite was satisfied, you set out on the longest journey of your short life, trudging across the patio bricks with a purpose. You scaled the porch step, slogged across the porch, and climbed up the window frame all the way to the top.

There you found your perfect niche, and you constructed a fuzzy winter home.

This week, I noticed that the front of your dwelling had been opened, and that's when I saw you,

pristine white, clothed in your miniature ermine coat.

You probably thought you'd chosen a safe place to rest, but I have a warning for you. On rainy nights, the green tree frogs that you hear singing from the pond sneak up to the porch to dine on creatures like you who are attracted by the house lights.

It's raining tonight. But don't worry, we'll leave the lights off for you.

10 comments:

Loved this post, and learned things too. I've seen that type of caterpillar, and that type of moth, and didn't know they were the same insect, but have never seen their cocoon. Now I know what to look for.

We are in the suburbs near St. Louis. I sometimes hear tree frogs, but have only seen one during one summer years ago. Guess where he was? On the front of our house, right up near the porch light. He was so cute. We did leave the light on for him. I look for a tree frog again every year, but have never seen one before or since those few evenings that summer years ago.

Happy Saturday Connie! I love the story of your caterpillar turned in to beauty in an ermine coat. Great shot! and also love your little tree frog. We hear a million of those at our cabin, but hardly ever actually see one!

For me, life is fairly simple: love God, love your neighbor, do your art. As a Christian, my first priority is loving God,

and I believe a part of loving Him is being grateful for what He’s given us. Here in the Ozarks, we have much to appreciate and enjoy. And so this blog attempts to do a little of this: appreciate God’s wonders, and share them with you, my neighbors.

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About Me

Connie is an illustrator and photographer who lives in the Missouri Ozarks, USA. She and her husband Don love their life together in their country home in the Ozarks, where artistic and photographic opportunities are ample, and their dog is way above average. Connie's portfolio can be viewed online at conniesmiley.com.